From talkers to texters back to talkers
Coming back from work, north on the Red Line (as usual), I see two women in their late 20s, obviously friends, maybe even relatives, chatting amiably.
Suddenly, one gets up and moves to a seat about 15 feet away, whips out her cell phone, obviously composing a text message. She sends it. Looks up to her friend 15 feet away and waits for her reaction. Her friend looks at her phone and replies.
She had sent the text message to her friend 15 feet away!
This continues for about 5-10 minutes or so. They alternately exchange meaningful glances the whole time.
And then, toward the end of their train ride, they moved side by side again, and start TALKING! You know ... "talking"!
Please comment below on your theories of the nature of their text messages.
I don't have any jokes to share, but it was obviously something they didn't feel comfortable talking about on a crowded train. I think it's a refreshing display of modesty, especially when contrasted with the private details folks often obliviously share with the rest of us while chatting away on their cell phones.
What I don't understand is why the woman had to move 15 feet away.
Posted by: Kevin B. O'Reilly | July 28, 2005 at 06:48 AM
Sex things, of course. And sex things involving themselves, not other people. They'd probably have no problem discussing sex out loud if it involved only other people.
My question is about cost: is it worth it to incur whatever cell-phone bills are involved rather than just wait until you're in a private place?
Posted by: Kristine | July 28, 2005 at 07:59 AM
It's obvious that they were uncomfortable with the weirdo sitting there, watching their every move, and decided that it would be best not to test if you (the weirdo) had super sonic hearing.
Posted by: matt | July 28, 2005 at 08:17 AM
I was able to hack into their accounts and I was able to retrieve these juicy messages that they were sending to eachother:
WHY IZ THAT GUY STARRING @ US?
I BET HE THINKS YR HOTTT!!
EWW THATS JST CREPY!
I BET HES A BLOGGER
THATS 2 BAD. I THAWT HE LOOKED KINDA CUTE.
It goes on and on but I thought this would be enough
:)
Posted by: Ed Knittel | July 28, 2005 at 08:27 AM
i'm certain they were discussing how hot they thought you were.
Posted by: bridgett | July 28, 2005 at 10:59 AM
I like texting my friends who are there with me just to crack them up. Send them random words like "C*ck!", which is just my way of paying tribute to a similar gag on "The Office".
Posted by: Jasmine | July 28, 2005 at 12:07 PM
I bet it was some version of OMG THAT GUY IS HOTT. Because you cannot have that conversation out loud. I learned this the hard way. I thought my friend and I were being all super-stealth by whispering, until he leaned over and said, "Um, I can totally hear you. And by the way, I'm Andy." If I hadn't died of embarrassment, I would have gotten his number. Boy was FINE.
Posted by: Tequila Red | July 28, 2005 at 05:59 PM
i've actually texted on crowded trains and busses, it's often good when you are too far away from your friend to talk, esp. if it's about fellow riders.
once i was sitting across from my friend, who was wedged next to a very very drunk man with a bad toupee and his longsuffering wife or girlfriend. my friend texted me, "is that his hair color when he's sober?"
Posted by: caitlin | July 28, 2005 at 10:08 PM
They definately were commenting on how hot you were! I was on the train surrounded by people that were high and they were openly passing around two bags: one with weed and the other one with joints. I texted my friend and said by the time I get off this train I'll be flying like a kite.
Posted by: cmama | July 29, 2005 at 08:57 AM